A Gramercy Bow Saw Kit provides the parts and plans necessary to build one of the most useful tools in the hand-tool workshop. The tensioned, lightweight frame of the saw supports a narrow blade able to cut tight turns with precision. The control afforded by a 12" bow saw makes it an excellent choice for wasting dovetails, or for sculptural work like roughing a cabriole leg.

Building a bow saw isn't difficult with the right hardware. The parts offered here are the same ones found on our award-winning Gramercy Tools 12" Bow Saw. Full measured drawings of the saw are free, and available for download even without the purchase of a kit. Additionally, we've published a great deal of our research into the design of tensioned frame, and turning saws, to aid in constructing your own customized saw.

The Gramercy Bow Saw Kit (literally) revolves around the precision machined brass pins that connect the frame to the handle. The hook of the pin allows blades to be switched, or threaded through a workpiece with minimal hassle. In addition to the hook, the blades have a 1/16" hole for mounting drilled blades. The blade slot of the pin is .030" wide, to accept a wide range of blades, including our own 12" bow saw blades, or coping saw blades. If you wish to use a thicker blade, grind the ends of the blade to fit.

The 1/4" shaft of the brass pins fits through the frame of the saw, allowing the blade to be turned a full 360 degrees. The tension of the frame and blade are supported by the 1/2" diameter shoulder of the pin. Behind the shoulder the pin is machined with grooves and a flat that create an interference fit when the handle is glued in place. Overall the pins are about 2 3/4" of which the front part of the shaft with the hook is 1 7/8" long, with a shaft Diameter of 1/4" and a shoulder diameter of 1/2".

We offer several kit options, from individual blades up to the full kit including Pins, Handles, and blades. Kits with blades include 10TPI, 16TPI, and 24TPI blades. To tension the frame you'll need a strong, lightweight cord or string. Our bow saw line is the same stuff we use on our complete saws, available in a range of colors for a final customized touch.

Replacement Blades are available separately - see the accessories and related link below. Likewise for the complete Gramercy Tools Bowsaw.

Gramercy Bow Saw Pins, Handles and Blades are Made in the USA.

The following primer is condensed from our more extensive documentation on the design of Bow saws which can be read in its entirety here. Follow the same link, and click "Construction notes, plans, and tips on use" to download measured drawings of our design for the Gramercy Bow Saw.

Any saw with a blade tensioned in a frame is generally referred to as a frame saw. To this day, European woodworkers use frame saws of around two feet long, with wide blades to do all their main cutting of boards. In the English and American traditions (after 1700 or so) woodworkers used handsaws for those tasks, and a narrow-tensioned blade in a frame saw only for cutting curves. These smaller saws are typically called either bow saws or turning saws.

The frame of a turning saw consists of a pair of mortised cheeks held apart by a tenoned cross-member called the stretcher. The hardware, or pins, hold the blade in the cheeks and also provide a mount for the handles. Finally, the tension on the blade is kept by a twisted cord, a Spanish windlass type of traction device kept from unwinding by the all-important toggle.

Early turning saws had very thin, almost spidery frames. The reason for this, of course, is that the weight of the frame will influence the cut. When you turn the saw in the cut, you want the entire saw frame to move, so that the blade stays straight in the frame. A beefy frame will cause the saw to feel top-heavy in use.

This brings us to the question of the wood. A turning saw can be made from almost any wood that can take a little tension, and we have seen saws made from Maple, Cherry, Walnut, and even a few exotics like cocobolo. However a lighter-weight wood is preferable because of the nimbleness factor outlined above. Our completed Gramercy Tools Bow Saws are made of American Hickory, because it is strong, flexible, and lightweight.

The design of the Gramercy Bow Saw captures what we believe to be the best aspects of 18th and early 19th century turning saws. It is a light weight and nimble tool, and represents what we would consider the optimum for a general purpose turning saw. Historically every trade used slightly different versions of the saw to meet their own specifications. We think you can have a lot of fun playing with the design and making a frame that suits your needs.

Every bit as nice and well made as the pictures suggest. I&rsquo;m making mine out of hickory as is suggested historically. Customizing the shapes and curves to fit my hands. That&rsquo;s the beauty of making your own. Thanks, Joel, for offering such a sweet kit.

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Dr.

By: Arthur Mensch (Jan, 2019)

I used the parts kit and plans to make my bow saw using walnut for the sides, handle, toe knob, and toggle, and oak for the stretcher. I made a pattern for the sides and used a router with a pattern cutting bit and spoke shave. The saw works great and looks really nice. I really enjoy working with tools that I have made myself. Thank you.

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Blades break with light use

By: Peter Bernhardt (Jan, 2018)

The saw is wonderful and is great for shaping. I've had a problem with the blades breaking at the post that holds them into the pins. So either this is a quality issue, or it comes down to exercising greater care when using the tool. Probably a bit of both. ;)

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Customizable bow saw

By: Todd Larsen (Nov, 2017)

I really enjoyed building this saw (twice). I built one with a swan&rsquo;s neck top and a second following your design. Both worked extremely well. I used hickory as suggested (being also very inexpensive to pick up). I eboniized the second tool, and ended up gifting it to a friend. I am considering buying another kit as I had the coarse blade in one and the fine blade in the other...

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Gramercy Bow Saw Kit

By: M.P.Sale (Apr, 2017)

An absolutely fun,easy,and entertaining kit to build or use for teaching youths woodworking. It can be as fancy or plain as you wish. It's your choice. Makes a great gift for family and friends as well.

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fun build, nice saw

By: James Meloan (Feb, 2017)

I bought two of these kits, one to make for myself and one as a gift for my brother-in-law who is getting into woodworking. I used walnut for the frames. Mine hangs right above my bench and I reach for it quite often, even with a decent bandsaw ten feet away. These make a great gift for someone getting into woodworking, nothing stokes your enthusiasm like using a tool you made to make something else.

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Fun project and useful tool

By: John Cariotto (Nov, 2016)

I used the clear plans to build the bow saw from a piece of hickory. It works quite well and is easier to use on small projects than changing blades on the band saw.

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Mr

By: Keith Meisenhelter (Apr, 2016)

THANK YOU. Your kits make it possible for me to have any size bow saw I want. Smallest fits a 6 1/2 to 7&quot; blade my largest is for 30&quot; bow saw blade. With many sizes in between. Make your own saw Wow what a feeling of pride. thanks again

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Bow Say

By: Jeff (Apr, 2016)

This bow saw is a real surprise to me. It works so much better than I anticipated. It is easy to control and quite comfortable. I was expecting it to be a bit awkard. Not the case at all. I built it from some pretty white oak from the plans on the website and purchased the pins handles and blades. Also the service and support was excellent.

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By: Tim (Dec, 2015)

I made this from white oak (like most folks responding, it's what I had on hand). I used my bandsaw to rough out one cheek and did the final shaping with floats. This made a template to easily shape the second on the router table, followed by a block plane to taper them. It came together nicely and the saw cuts well. Wonderful item. Buy the kit for the fun of it; buy the finished saw if you just want the tool. This was about ten hours for me.

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Such a regular reliable tool

By: Brian Biggs (Sep, 2015)

I've been using 1 saw with a fine or coarse blade for the past few years. The only issue I've had is that the strings I used occasionally break - so now there is a tougher string available! And because I'm not storing the saw broken down, I've finally started putting together a 2nd saw to pretty much be my coarse saw.
And because it does break down easily it's GREAT to be ready to use it by having it available in the toolbox! (Which will mean, yep, a 3rd saw!)

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Bow Saw Kit

By: Per Widing (Jul, 2015)

A great little kit, I fell for the beautiful shape, I've used the Swedish birch because it is strong and I had some left over from another project.

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Bow Saw Kit

By: Waco Muse (Apr, 2015)

I got the pins and blades, and used the templates to make a saw out of Mahogany (because I had it on hand). I also used chain saw file handles for the handle and toe. The saw works great, and is now one of my favorite tools.

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Bow Saw Kit

By: Bob Crigler (Feb, 2014)

I tried this kit on a whim and I am very impressed. I purchased the blades and the pins and made the rest. Just finished my second saw and love it. Buying four more kits to build as they will make wonderful gifts.

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Bow saw kit

By: Ryan (Feb, 2014)

I really like how well the saw works; it's surprisingly light and the high blade tension makes it cut better than a coping saw. Keeping it together while Changing blades is a little fiddly, but no other complaints.
Took about eight hours to make with hand tools, mine looks good, although rougher than the pictures (I used hickory too).
The plans are clear, but not sized for 8x11 paper, so keep that in mind if you print them out at home.

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One day bow saw

By: Ross (Sep, 2013)

A rare rainy day in southern New Mexico gave me the chance to convert a bow saw kit into a working saw. Selecting a cut-off curly maple board, and several hours of work resulted in a small bow saw to complement my old Marples. One thing I noted: the cross brace was 5/16" too long for the saw blades, so I shortened it 1/4" to make the joinery fit better. Saw works very well, and is attractive as well. This is a very satisfying day project.